Nick Yorke Autos From Jacob

When Chris and I were in Portland, we met two brothers named Jacob and Justin who were very helpful in identifying players for us.  We got to talking and decided to help each other out by doing a team swap.

Jacob took the remaining Nick Yorke cards I had left and got them all signed for me at subsequent games after we left.  I got him a bunch of Wood Ducks stuff signed, so both of us got some stuff done.

I really appreciated Jacob helping me with the Yorke cards. These cards all have been out multiple times for graphing, so they had a lot of miles on them.  They're all finally done and can now be put away.

TTM Success - Nick Maton

This TTM success from Nick Maton allowed me to get a 2021 Topps Pro Debut out of my boxes.  One of the most difficult sets to leaf through quickly, I find myself skipping over 2021 Topps and 2021 Pro Debut.  Still, I enjoy getting the cards signed, so I try my best to slow down and go through the boxes when I have the time.  They just hurt my eyes.

Anyway, I saw that Nick Maton was signing TTM, so I sent off two cards.  The came back looking great.

Along with the Pro Debut, I got this 2021 Bowman signed.  The signature really shows nicely on this card.

Maton (b. 1997) has played in the majors since 2021 for the Phillies.  He has 72 hits, 12 home runs and a .214 batting average.  He appeared in the World Series last year with the Phillies.  He had one at bat, but did not record a hit.  Fun fact, he is the older brother of Wood Ducks pitcher, Jacob Maton.  His brother, Phil, currently plays for the Astros.

I mailed to Maton on January 13 and got the cards back on February 14, for a 32-day TAT.  He kept two of my cards.

Autographed Card Dump Post

The term "card dump" might sound like it has a negative connotation, but I assure you it is only used as a description of what I felt I had to do with these cards, since my stack got mixed up a while back.  I had no idea who sent me these, and I imagine some of them will come forward at some point and let me know that they sent these to me.  Anyway, the cards that went unaccounted for, so to speak, were some decent ones.  I mean, I really should have known who sent me this Anthony Volpe.  I thought it was my friend, Patrick, but I was mistaken.  Still, it is a great autograph, and Volpe stuff is hot right now.

I do know that these four cards came from an early 50/50, because of the labels on the back.  I originally used to use those tape tabs, but I have since switched to small post it tabs.  I remember tryig to get Ian Krol when he was with some team I was set to see, but missed him.  I wish I could remember who I sent these to.  They all turned out great.

These were in random penny sleeves and/or top loaders, so I think these came in various trades.  I feel like the Groshans and possibly the Gabriel Moreno were from a trade I did with someone for a signed 1986 Topps that they needed.  I probably should log this stuff better.  Anyway, these all are pretty cool, as well, and are now finally in my album.

Thank you so much for all of the trades and 50/50s the past couple of years.  That stack has now been taken care of and I can start fresh with some of the 2022 stuff that is still set to arrive now that the milb season is over.  I also misspoke earlier when I said I was almost caught up.  I have a few birthday items that I want to get posted, so those will be falling in line, as well.

July 2022 Graphing of Fireflies at Wood Ducks

Last week's series between the Fireflies and Wood Ducks showed me that I am getting to be just about ready for the season to come to a conclusion.  While I had a ton of cards to get signed, and an extra pair of hands this week, this was still one of the tougher series I have had.  The series before against the Cannonballers was probably the toughest, but this one tried my patience at times.

Still, we did well graphing.  We got a lot of different cards signed.  I was able to move a bunch of 2021 stuff out of my boxes, and add them to the album.

There were also a good many cards from older sets that I was able to get signed, and there would have been more, had the coaches for the Fireflies not been so tough to get to sign.  Tony Pena, Jr. stopped pre-game once for us during the series.  He would sign different cards, so I was able to get a few taken care of.  Later in the series, however, he would tell a group of us that he would sign outside after the game.  So, for the first time this season, I waited outside.  Pena walked by us and ignored us.  This was Saturday.

To be fair, the graphing crowd on Saturday was the largest that I had seen in Kinston since probably 2018, when Luis Robert was in town.  There was a group of graphers from the Raleigh area, and two teenagers (both named Dylan, oddly enough) who were visiting from Durham.  I talked to the first Dylan for the better part of the game, and helped him get some stuff signed after the game.  He and his friend seemed like nice people, and I think they enjoyed their time in Kinston enough to want to come back during the Fredericksburg series.

Glenn Hubbard would take the long way to the opposing dugout; skipping where we were standing entirely.  Tuesday, after the game, he went down the left field line and signed everything for everyone.  After that, he wouldn't sign for anyone at all the rest of the series.

John Habyan, by far, was the nicest of the coaches.  He stopped for everyone every time he walked by, which was great.  I didn't pull much of his stuff, and a couple of his cards were given to me by a fellow grapher.

The toughest coach was Chris Nelson.  He stopped one time after Tuesday's game, then signed one per for the three of us.  After that, he would completely ignore us, with the exception of answering me one time when I asked "Do you have time to sign" to which he replied "Ummm, Nah." and kept walking.

The pitchers, by far, were the best signers of the week.  Ben Hernandez signed everything we had over the week.  I was glad to get my blue 2021 Heritage Minors parallel signed.  The card is numbered 60/99.  The Panini Elite Extra Edition is a die cut parallel and is numbered 159/999.

I was glad to get Frank Mozzicato to sign the cards that I had.  He was the Royals first round pick last year.

I had some parallels and stuff for the Wood Ducks as well, and this 2021 Panini Elite Extra Edition of Cam Cauley is numbered 479/499.

My friend, Gerard, sent me a bunch of Jose Rodriguez parallels from 2022 Bowman and a Mitch Bratt refractor from 2021 Panini Prizm.  Regardless of the issues with the coaches, I had a good time graphing this week.  In all, I got the following autographs:

Maximo Acosta x 6, Cam Cauley x 22, Ryan Garcia x 9, Dylan MacLean x 2, Ian Moller x 10, Jose Rodriguez x 12, Jesus Azuaje x 1, John Habyan x 8, Glenn Hubbard x 16, Chris Nelson x 5, Ben Hernandez x 23, Carter Jensen x 7, Frank Mozzicato x 8, Shane Panzini x 8, Erick Pena x 21, Mitch Bratt x 1, Ben Kurdna x 7 and Tony Pena Jr x 15 (182 total autographs).

Week of September 1 to 5, 2021, Graphing Recap of Cannonballers at Wood Ducks

The next-to-last home series at Grainger stadium this season is now in the books and I was able to get a few cards signed.  I had picked up a few cards of some Cannonballers, and one of them wasn't even here in this trip (Jared Kelley).  This sapphire parallel of Matthew Thompson from 2021 Bowman turned out really nicely.  I didn't realize he was starting on Tuesday, so he walked right past me as I called his name.  Then I saw he was the starter, so I waited til post-game.  As he walked off the field, I called his name again; ignored again, and he hopped the gate nearby.  A few minutes later, I hear "Hey!  Did you need a sig?  Sorry, I wasn't ignoring you, I was in the zone, but I got you after the game..." so Thompson signed after the game, which was cool.

I had picked up the sapphire parallel and this 2019 Bowman Chrome refractor while I was at the National, so it was nice to get them done.  I had gotten him the past series on a few cards, so these were the only two I needed for my album.  I took some other 50/50s, and those got finished, as well.

These James Beards shifted a bit on my scanner, but I added a blue parallel from 2021 Bowman, and a 2021 Pro Debut to the album.  Beard had a pretty brutal series; he struck out a ton and committed a few errors in the outfield.  He was generally one or two per when he would stop and sign, but he didn't stop too often.

Two of the John Ely cards I picked up at the National got signed, along with a 2008 Tristar Prospects Plus that was extra from a 50/50 with Gerard.

Matt Hagen was this week's roving instructor, so I finished off some old team set cards of his.  I was glad to get these out of the box and into the album.

Finally, I used the second signature card that my friend, Ben, gave me on Jose Acosta.  Acosta stood by the fence and talked to Chris and I for a while before the game on Saturday.  He was really nice and acknowledged Chris and I being at most of the games.  

We had a good time during the series, and the Wood Ducks went 4-2 in the series, which is keeping their playoff hopes alive.  I have this coming week off and then the last home series of the year will be the week of my birthday.  The Wood Ducks have their playoff fates in their hands, and we shall see what happens.